Sydney, Australia
Created as a welcoming urban monument, Henning Larsen Architects, Architectus, and McGregor Coxall, the Lighthouse at Darling Park is a combination of two scales: the city scale, where the tower joins the skyline, and the village scale, where people flow seamlessly between Sydney’s central business district (CBD) and the waterfront of Cockle Bay Wharf.
Designed to cover an area over a motorway that currently acts as a barrier between the city center, waterfront, and thriving Pyrmont district, the project envisions a generous and vibrant link between Sydney’s CBD to Darling Harbour.
A monumental high-rise tower atop a 10,000 square meters public realm spread across several levels and with spectacular views to the water at every turn – the project will provide what the Sydney Daily Telegraph has referred to as one of the “biggest slices of public land in the heart of the city in more than a century.”
The design prioritizes human experience by integrating a vast public park that spans from the elevated main level down to the waterfront below.
Spacious pedestrian walkways will border a seamless public route throughout the development, connecting the various shops, restaurants, and bars on the premises.
Designed to be partly sheltered from the prevailing wind, it should experience just enough breeze from the water to make it an ideal spot in the summer – encouraging the public to enjoy it all year long.
“We are constantly inspired by how buildings can facilitate the unexpected, fostering experiences that speak to the idea of a true urban destination,” say Henning Larsen Architects.
“I believe our design for Lighthouse at Darling Park will set a new standard for high-rise development, one where the interface between public and commercial realm link to create a strong sense of community.”
An array of pocket parks creates zones within the public realm, each lushly planted to reference New South Wales’ native landscape.
A central pedestrian path through the park acts as a high street, with smaller paths branching off to encourage exploration and discovery into less extroverted spaces.
The project is intended to deliver a unique solution to the contrasting scales, prioritizing comfort and establishing public spaces that are open, welcoming, and enjoyable for a range of visitors.
The design for the Lighthouse Tower is focused on creating a confident, clear, and poetic gesture in the urban setting; a striking addition to the Sydney skyline when seen from afar.
Within the building, interiors will emphasize flexibility above all, allowing tenant organizations and individual workers to define their workplace for themselves.
Floor-to-ceiling windows will offer views of the city, parks, and waterfront, again connecting the interior life of the building with the city outside it.
The façade design is intended to maximize natural light while minimizing solar gains.
Project: Lighthouse at Darling Park
Architects: Henning Larsen Architects
Local architect: Architectus
Landscape architect: McGregor Coxall
Structural engineer: Enstruct
Engineer: Norman Disney & Young
Façade consultant: Thornton Tomasetti
Client: GPT Group and Mirvac
Images: KVANT-1 and Doug & Wolf
